She's known as the Margaret Rutherford of sparkies. Wooed into the theatre some 40 years ago by the late Anne-Marie Mykyta, Laraine Wheeler has been behind the scenes for almost every company in almost every capacity - from prompt and ASM to stage manager and lighting designer.

Chief technician and lighting operator is how she best is now known - and respected both as a technical authority and a theatre talent. At 62 she says that every single working day is a happy day.